She woke up as fast as anxiety could beckon her. She flung the warm covers off her bare legs and quickly stood up out of bed, welcoming the sting of the frigid floor beneath her feet. She smiled as she grabbed a heavy jacket off the nearby chair and hastily buttoned it over her thin houserobe. The sleeves were too long, the torso too roomy. It still had the faint odor of sweet pipe tobacco, but she loved that scent. She rushed towards the front door and threw it open, pausing to admire the gray morning light and the embrace of dense fog as it gently kissed her on the cheek.
She stepped onto the damp sand and ran as fast as she could towards the sound of a distant gull.

He strained his eyes as he scanned the rocky shoreline inside the cove. He couldn't see her yet, but he knew she had to be there, somewhere. The boat rocked up and down in the rough sea, occasionally spraying his weathered face with droplets of foam. His muscles trembled as he tightly gripped the hardwood railing. His knuckles were as white as the choppy wave crests around the boat. The captain gently put his hand on the man's shoulder. Perhaps it was a gesture of kindness. Perhaps it was an offer of encouragement.
The man didn't seem to notice.

He could hear the waves as they thundered against the craggy shore. A wall of white spray hovered over a rocky ledge. He shifted his handhold on the railing when he thought he glimpsed her delicate form there. More waves erupted in sequence across the rocks, each one testing his desperate imagination.
He could hear his mates behind him as they worked hard to row the boat faster. The captain cupped the man's shoulder again. Another crashing wave hit a blackened boulder face. That time it was more clear, it was just the right size. He could see her waving at him.

He quickly stood up and rolled over the side into the bitter sea, breaking free of the captain's grip. His mates were frantically yelling for him to come back. The captain watched the man in silence as he paddled for shore with inhuman determination.
He saw her beautiful smile as she continued to wave at him. He swam even harder. The thin material of her houserobe was soaked through, and clung to her soft flesh. He wondered if she must be very cold, standing out there like that.
She didn't seem to notice.

A slight undertow took him beneath a wave for a second, and when he resurfaced she was no longer there. He could hear the boat crew behind him as they pleaded to bring him back onboard. The landing beach wasn't far away, so he decided to finish the swim.
He stumbled out of the ocean and his jacket felt too heavy. He unbuttoned it and let it slump to the cold sand. He clambered over boulders on all fours as he searched for her again, unable to catch his breath. He murmured her name repeatedly, but she never answered. He wondered why his mates didn't help him look for her.
They didn't seem to notice.

He staggered onto the walking path and began the exhausting ascent towards his cabin. His thigh muscles ached with each motion on the chiseled stone steps. He called her name more loudly, but she never answered. He grunted as he pulled himself along the railing, and finally made it to the top.
He saw footprints in the sand, and they renewed his motivation. He jogged towards his cabin's front door, and called out her name. He produced a small iron key on a string from within his shirt, and his hand shivered uncontrollably as he inserted it into the lock.
He stepped into the dark room, and called her name again. He grabbed a wooden match from the kitchen table and lit a small candle near the bedside. The warm glow illuminated an empty cabin and a neatly made bed. He whispered her name as he returned to the table.

He surrendered to a nearby chair and sobbed into his hands.

Awesome. Really touching. You can tell there is a hidden story behind this.

Thanks Chainy!
Indeed.

Hey, this is exellent! And, like Chainy said, there is a hidden story! :goodjob: